[TSgt]

I searched but couldn't find this story and thought it was far too inspiring and heartwarming not to share.

[TSgt]

Direct link to YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjU9U81O1n8

[TSgt]

Reminds me of one of my favorite poems.

By Og Mandino (adapted from original by Red Foley) Today upon a bus I saw a lovely girl with golden hair. I envied her – she seemed so gay – and wished I were as fair. But suddenly she rose to leave. I saw her hobble down the isle, she had only one leg and wore a crutch, but as she passed, a smile… Oh, God forgive me when I whine, I have two legs, the world is mine. I stopped to buy some candy. The lad who sold them had such charm. I stopped to talk to him, he seemed so glad – if I was late could do no harm. As I left he said to me, “I thank-you, you had been so kind. It’s nice to talk to folks like you, you see,” he said, “I am blind.” Oh, God forgive me when I whine, I have two eyes, the world is mine. Later while walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue. He stood and watched the others play, he did not know what to do. I stopped a moment and said, “Why don’t you join the others, dear?” He looked ahead without a word and then I knew, he couldn’t hear. Oh, God forgive me when I whine, I have two ears, the world is mine. With feet to take me where I go, with eyes to see the sun-set glow, with ears to hear what I would know. Oh, God forgive me when I whine, I am blessed indeed, the world is mine!

[TSgt]

[alicewonders]

I broke out in tears - wow - what a wonderful thing to witness!

[Glenn]

The hearing aids must have been good ones. She can process "Can you hear me?"

[TSgt]

Rush Limbaugh powers Envoy Medical to new fame, investors
http://www.medcitynews.com/2010/10/rush-limbaugh-powers-envoy-medical-to-new-fame-investors/
Spearman estimates 80 patients have signed up for the $30,000 out-of-pocket procedure with another 400 expressing “serious interest.”

The Esteem device is located entirely in the ear. The system consists of a sensor, sound processor and driver. The sensor picks up vibrations from the ear drum and converts them into electric signals. The sound processor — a specially designed computer chip — cleans up the signals and boosts their power. Finally, the driver converts the signals back into mechanical vibrations and transmits them to the cochlea.

If Envoy can sell 110 procedures a month, the company would generate positive cash flow by March 2011, Spearman said.

Apparently, one of Envoy’s best moves was reaching an advertising deal with Limbaugh. For the last eight weeks, Limbaugh has pushed the product on his show and website.

As a result, traffic to Esteem’s website has jumped to 2,800 hits a day from 500 to 1,000 hits. The company has hired extra sales staff just to handle the volume.

[ClearCase_guy]

There is a segment in the Deaf Community which likes being "special" and who violently oppose any efforts to "cure" deafness -- they see it as a sort of cultural genocide.

Those people should watch this video and consider rethinking their celebration of disability.

[basil]

I had a dear aunt who was born severely deaf nearly 100 years ago.

Her first hearing aid came in a suitcase about the size of an old time doctor’s bag.

Through the years, she always got the latest hearing aids as they were developed. She picked up speech because when they were kids, she and my mother would go out to the outhouse and my mother would put her lips on my aunt’s ear and scream at the top of her lungs. My aunt always spoke with a speech impediment, but people could understand her. She managed to support herself very well as she was a very talented hair dresser.

She’s been gone for about 10 years now, but I still miss her.......I wish she would have had the opportunity to try this new technology.

[The Great RJ]

Surprisingly there are a few in the deaf community who are opposed to implants and who see them as a threat to their sign language based culture.

[onedoug]

The militant deaf are not going to like this at all.

[Charles Henrickson]

Thought this story and the comments here might be of interest to you.

[cornfedcowboy]

No tears for me, just a huge smile and a warmed heart. Thanks for the post.